Foam spraying rig

ABSTRACT

A foam spraying rig comprising a trailer or cargo truck having first and second fluid spray component storage tanks mounted in the body thereof. An internal combustion engine is provided within the body of the trailer or cargo truck as are the other components of the system. The components of the system include a hydraulic pump, an engine exhaust system may include an exhaust water jacket, an air compressor, proportioning pump, and a heat exchanger. The hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump and the lubricating oil of the air compressor are in recirculating fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The engine coolant is also in recirculating fluid communication with the heat exchanger as is the coolant from the exhaust water jacket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a foam spraying rig and more particularly to amore dependable machine for the purpose of spraying plural componentfoams, for example, insulation known as Polyisocyantes. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to an improvement over applicant'searlier foam spraying rig disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,178 whichissued on Sep. 4, 2007.

2. Description of the Related Art

Plural component foams, spray foams and polyurea coatings are used asinsulation and as liners for truck bodies and other applications. Atleast two components are combined and discharged from a spray nozzle atapproximately 150° F. under a pressure of approximately 1500 psi ormore. The equipment available today for applying the product derivesfrom the commercial factory foam industry such as boat hull fill orfactory foamed panels for buildings and cold storage. The equipment ismeant to be used in a controlled environment and a relatively unabusivemanner. The use of the equipment into the mobile market of home andindustrial building insulation has been accomplished by taking thedelicate equipment, mating it to a large mobile generator, and placingthe equipment in a truck along with barrels of raw material andapproximately 300 feet of fragile hose.

The problems associated with the current prior art mobile equipment aremany. The electronics used in the factory setting are prone to expensivefailure when used in a mobile or outdoor situation. The systems used toheat the material are electric resistance heaters and are veryproblematic, particularly in the area of the material hose that runsfrom the machine to the spray gun. Computer panels, connectors, andother electronic devices which control and maintain the heating systemand other functions, as well as the material hose, are very susceptibleto failure and are very expensive to replace. Further, the generatorsrequired to run the equipment are very costly, usually approximately$15,000, as well as expensive to operate and maintain.

The components of the process come in 55 gallon drums or othercontainers and must be kept warm (approximately 75° F.) in storage inthe truck prior to being processed through the spray equipment. This isdifficult, particularly in the winter.

The foam spraying rig disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,178 has met withconsiderable acceptance. However, during the use of the foam sprayingrig of the above-identified patent, applicant has developed a method andapparatus which increases the efficiency of the earlier foam sprayingrig of the '178 patent. In particular, an internal combustion engine,other than the truck engine of the '178 patent, is utilized as well asother heat recovery devises. Applicant's earlier patent and the drawingsthereof will be incorporated herein to set the stage and to provideantecedent basis for Applicant's instant invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects oressential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summaryis not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of theclaimed subject matter.

In general, the problems of the prior art have been solved byeliminating the expensive generator employed therewith and by using anengine other than the truck engine to produce heat and air required todispense the raw materials at the proper temperature and pressure. Heatgenerated by the engine coolant, engine exhaust system, hydraulic pumpand air compressor is used to heat the first and second spraycomponents.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide animproved foam spraying machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed wherein the components of the raw materials are heated bymeans of one or more of the hot water of the coolant of the water cooledengine within the cargo body or trailer, engine exhaust system,hydraulic pump and air compressor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the typedescribed which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refinedin appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention aredescribed with reference to the following figures, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various viewsunless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the foam spraying rig of Applicant'sprevious invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the spray system of Applicant'sprevious invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of the spray system of Applicant's previousinvention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of one of the component storage tanks and the aircompressor of Applicant's previous invention;

FIG. 5 is an end view of one of the component storage tanks ofApplicant's previous invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial side view of the hose bundle and spray nozzle ofApplicant's previous invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the hose bundle of Applicant's previousinvention;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a cargo truck having the instantinvention positioned in the body thereof;

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of a trailer having the instantinvention positioned therein; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic of the instant invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to theaccompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way ofillustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments aredisclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as being limited to theembodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of thepresent invention is defined only by the appended claims.

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate Applicant's earlier invention of U.S. Pat. No.7,264,178 which issued on Sep. 4, 2007. The following description of thestructure of FIGS. 1-7 is to provide the setting for Applicant's instantinvention.

In FIGS. 1-7, the numeral 10 refers generally to a truck-like vehiclewhich has a water (glycol) cooled engine with the engine hot water beinggenerally indicated by the reference numeral 12 in the schematic of FIG.3. Vehicle 10 includes a body 14 which is enclosed and which ispreferably insulated, but not necessarily so. The rearward end of thebody 14 is open, but is closeable by a conventional door 15. Quickcouplings 16 and 18 are provided at the rearward end of the body 14 andhave lines or conduits 20 and 22 connected thereto, respectively, andextending forwardly therefrom. The couplings 16 and 18 are adapted to beconnected to a source of fluid spray components which will be describedas first and second components, respectively. Normally, displacementpumps will be associated with the fifty-five gallon drums or barrelscontaining the components which will normally be left at the centraloffice or storage facility. In some cases, the spray components will becontained within large bulk containers. When it is desired to pump thecomponents to the system of this invention, the couplings 16 and 18 areutilized. The discharge end of conduit 20 is connected to the inlet endof a first fluid spray component storage tank 24 which has conduit 26extending from outlet end 28 thereof. The discharge end of conduit 22 isconnected to the inlet end of a second fluid spray component storagetank 30 which has a conduit 32 extending from the outlet end 34 thereof.The numerals 36 and 38 refer to heat exchangers positioned within atransversely extending heat exchanger tank 40. Conduits 26 and 32 extendforwardly from the tanks 24 and 30, respectively, as illustrated in theschematic of FIG. 3, and are connected to the inlet ends of conventionalpositive displacement pumps 46 and 48, respectively. Each of the heatexchangers 36 and 38 is comprised of a plurality of continuous coilswith the discharge end thereof being connected to discharge conduits 42and 44, respectively. The discharge ends of conduits 42 and 44 areconnected to lines 52 and 54 contained within hose bundle 55 whichextend to spray nozzle 56. The displacement pumps 46 and 48 arepreferably driven by the air motor 50. Displacement pumps 46 and 48meter the spray components therefrom at a precise ratio, which in thepreferred embodiment is 1:1. The spray nozzle 56 mixes and sprays thetwo components onto the surface to be coated or insulated. Hoses orlines 52 and 54 are contained within a material hose bundle 55 as statedwhich includes hoses 52 and 54, a glycol outbound hose H1, a glycolreturn hose H2 and an air hose or line 72. Hose bundle 55 is heated withthe hot coolant (glycol) of the truck engine. The heat exchanger wateris pumped from the heat exchanger outwardly through the outbound glycolhose H1 and inwardly through the inbound hose H2 and back into the heatexchanger. Hose bundle 55 is wrapped with insulation and then sheathedto protect the insulation and contain the hoses.

A plurality of electrical resistance heating elements 58 are positionedbelow the tank 24 and are of the one hundred ten volt type. Similarly, aplurality of electrical resistance heaters 60 are provided below thetank 30 and are of the one hundred ten volt type. The heaters 58 and 60are utilized when the vehicle is in storage so that the components inthe tanks 24 and 30 may be heated during the night or heated at the jobsite when one hundred ten volt power is available.

The numeral 62 refers to a hot water heater in the form of copper pipeor tubing which is operatively fluidly connected to the heated coolantof the engine so that as the truck is being driven to the job site oridled at the job site, the hot water from the coolant system of thevehicle will be circulated through the heater 62 to further heat thecomponent within tank 24. Similarly, a hot water heater 64 is positionedbeneath the tank 30 and is operatively connected to the heated coolantof the vehicle engine to heat the component within the tank 30. Theheaters 64 and 62 are series connected, as seen in FIG. 3, with thereturn line 65 connected to the inlet end of the tank 40. The outlet endof heat exchanger 38 is connected to line 54 while the outlet end ofheat exchanger 36 is connected to the line 52 (FIG. 3). The outlet endof tank 40 is connected to the engine hot water 12. The hot water fromthe engine of the vehicle will be circulated through the heaters 62 and64 while the vehicle is traveling from its home base to its job site andwill also be utilized to heat the components in the tanks 24 and 30while the truck is sitting at the job site so that the components withinthe tanks remain at approximately 90° F.

The numeral 66 refers to an air compressor which is driven by thevehicle engine or the electrical system thereof with the discharge lines68 and 70 extending therefrom to the tanks 24 and 30, respectively, toapply approximately 50 pounds per square inch pressure within the tanks24 and 30 to force the components therein through the heat exchangers 36and 38 in the heat exchanger tank 40 when the pumps 46 and 48 areactivated. Hose or line 72 extends from air compressor 66 through thehose bundle 55 to the spray nozzle 56.

As seen in the schematic of FIG. 3, the heat exchanger tank 40 isplumbed to the source of engine hot water so that the heat exchangers 36and 38 will be heated by the hot water being passed through the heatexchanger tank 40 which causes the components passing therethrough to beheated to approximately 150° F.

Assuming that the truck or vehicle is being stored or parked for theevening, the components 1 and 2 will be pumped into the tanks 24 and 30in conventional fashion. The electrical heaters 58 and 60 will beconnected to a source of one hundred ten volt power so that thecomponents in the tanks 24 and 30 will be heated during the night.

When it is time to travel to the job site, the heaters 58 and 60 will bedisconnected from their source of electrical power. As the vehicle movesto the job site, the hot water from the engine coolant system will beforced through the heaters 62 and 64 as well as the heat exchanger tank40 so that the components are heated as the vehicle is traveling to thejob site and will be heated when the truck is parked and idled at thejob site. The operator will operate the nozzle 56 so that the componentsare supplied thereto by way of the pumps 46 and 48 with the componentsbeing supplied to the nozzle 56 at approximately 1500 psi. As seen, thestorage tanks 24 and 30 are enclosed within insulated housings orcompartments 68 and 70, respectively, and the heat exchanger 40 isenclosed within an insulated housing or compartment 72.

Referring now to the instant invention of FIGS. 8-10, the numeral 100refers to a cargo van or truck including a cab 102 and a van body 104.In the invention of FIGS. 8-10, the truck engine is not utilized to heatthe spray components as in Applicant's earlier invention. In FIG. 8, thenumeral 106 refers to an internal combustion engine which is locatedwithin the van body 104 and which is used in place of the truck engine.

In FIG. 9, the numeral 108 refers to a trailer in which the componentsof Applicant's system are positioned and which also includes an engine106 located therein.

FIG. 10 illustrates the components which are located within either thevan body 104 or the body of the trailer 108. In FIG. 10, the numeral 110refers generally to the power unit of the system which may include ahydraulic pump 112, air compressor 114, and an exhaust water jacket 116connected to the exhaust system of engine 106.

The numeral 118 refers to the heating system of this invention whichincludes a heat exchanger 120. In FIG. 10, the numeral 122 refers to aproportioning system including a proportioning pump 124. The numeral 126refers to a drum and/or pressurized bulk storage system including one ormore component tanks 128 and 130. A spray gun is referred to by thereference numeral 132.

As seen in FIG. 10, the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump 112 is inrecirculating fluid communication with the heat exchanger 120 by meansof one or more fluid lines 134. The engine coolant from the engine 106is in recirculating fluid communication with the heat exchanger by oneor more fluid lines 136. The coolant from the exhaust water jacket ofthe engine exhaust system 116 is in recirculating fluid communicationwith the heat exchanger 120 by means of one or more fluid lines 138. Thelubricating oil of the air compressor 114 is in recirculating fluidcommunication with the heat exchanger 120 by means of one or more fluidlines 140.

Component tank 128 is in fluid communication with the proportioning pump124 by feed line 142 while component tank 130 is in communication withproportioning pump 124 by feed line 144. The discharge side of pump 124is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger 120 by means of lines146 and 148. The discharge side of heat exchanger 120 is in fluidcommunication with the spray gun 132 by means of lines 150 and 152.

Thus it can be seen from the schematic of FIG. 10 that the utilizationof an engine 106 within the van body of the truck 100 or within the bodyof the trailer 108 eliminates the need for using the truck engine tosupply heat to the heat exchanger. The schematic of FIG. 10 illustratesthat an even more efficient system is provided through the utilizationof additional heat being supplied to a heat exchanger 120 from thehydraulic pump 112, engine 106, engine exhaust system 116 and thelubricating oil of the air compressor 114.

Although it is preferred that additional heat is supplied to the heatexchanger 120 from each of the hydraulic pump 112, engine 106, engineexhaust system 116 and the air compressor 114, there may be situationswherein the additional heat is provided to the heat exchanger 120 byonly one or more of the hydraulic pump 112, engine 106, engine exhaustsystem 116 and air compressor 114.

Thus it can be seen that an extremely efficient heating system has beenprovided for heating the components which are sprayed onto the surfaceor the like by the spray gun 132. It can therefore be seen that theinvention accomplishes all of its stated objectives.

Although the invention has been described in language that is specificto certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understoodthat the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, thespecific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing theclaimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can bepracticed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

1. In combination: a cargo truck body; a water-cooled engine in saidcargo truck body and having an exhaust system; said exhaust system ofsaid engine having water jacket associated therewith; a hydraulic pumpin said cargo truck body; an air compressor having internal lubricatingoil, in said cargo truck body; a heat exchanger, having inlet and outletends, in said cargo truck body; said hydraulic pump being inrecirculating fluid connection with said heat exchanger so that thehydraulic fluid of said hydraulic pump is in recirculating communicationwith said heat exchanger; the engine coolant of said engine being inrecirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger; the water ofsaid water jacket of said engine exhaust system being in recirculatingfluid communication with said heat exchanger; the lubricating oil ofsaid air compressor being in recirculating fluid communication with saidheat exchanger; a first fluid spray component storage tank in said cargotruck body having an inlet and an outlet end; a second fluid spraycomponent storage tank in said cargo truck body having an inlet end andan outlet end; a proportioning pump having an inlet end and an outletend; said inlet end of said proportioning pump being in fluidcommunication with said first and second fluid storage tanks; saidoutlet end of said proportioning pump being in fluid communication withsaid inlet end of said heat exchanger; said outlet end of said heatexchanger being in fluid communication with a spray gun.
 2. Incombination: a trailer body; a water-cooled engine in said trailer bodyand having an exhaust system; said exhaust system of said engine havingwater jacket associated therewith; a hydraulic pump in said trailerbody; an air compressor in said trailer body; said air compressorincluding internal lubricating oil; a heat exchanger, having inlet andoutlet ends, in said trailer body; said hydraulic pump being inrecirculating fluid connection with said heat exchanger so that thehydraulic fluid of said hydraulic pump is in recirculating communicationwith said heat exchanger; the engine coolant of said engine being inrecirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger; the water ofsaid water jacket of said engine exhaust system being in recirculatingfluid communication with said heat exchanger; the lubricating oil ofsaid air compressor being in recirculating communication with said heatexchanger; a first fluid spray component storage tank in said trailerbody having an inlet and an outlet end; a second fluid spray componentstorage tank in said trailer body having an inlet end and an outlet end;a proportioning pump having an inlet end and an outlet end; said inletend of said proportioning pump being in fluid communication with saidfirst and second fluid storage tanks; said outlet end of saidproportioning pump being in fluid communication with said inlet end ofsaid heat exchanger; said outlet end of said heat exchanger being influid communication with a spray gun.
 3. In combination: a cargo truckbody; a water-cooled engine in said cargo truck body and having anexhaust system; said exhaust system of said engine having water jacketassociated therewith; a hydraulic pump in said cargo truck body; an aircompressor in said cargo truck body; said air compressor includinginternal lubricating oil; a heat exchanger, having inlet and outletends, in said cargo truck body; the engine coolant of said engine beingin recirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger; the waterof said water jacket of said engine exhaust system being inrecirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger; a firstfluid spray component storage tank in said cargo truck body having aninlet and an outlet end; a second fluid spray component storage tank insaid cargo truck body having an inlet end and an outlet end; aproportioning pump having an inlet end and an outlet end; said inlet endof said proportioning pump being in fluid communication with said firstand second fluid storage tanks; said outlet end of said proportioningpump being in fluid communication with said inlet end of said heatexchanger; said outlet end of said heat exchanger being in fluidcommunication with a spray gun.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein ahydraulic pump is provided in said cargo body and wherein said hydraulicpump is in recirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger.5. The combination of claim 3 wherein the lubricating oil of said aircompressor is in recirculating fluid communication with said heatexchanger.
 6. In combination: a trailer body; a water-cooled engine insaid trailer body and having an exhaust system; said exhaust system ofsaid engine having water jacket associated therewith; a hydraulic pumpin said trailer body; an air compressor in said trailer body; said aircompressor including internal lubricating oil; a heat exchanger, havinginlet and outlet ends, in said trailer body; the engine coolant of saidengine being in recirculating fluid communication with said heatexchanger; the water of said water jacket of said engine exhaust systembeing in recirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger; afirst fluid spray component storage tank in said trailer body having aninlet and an outlet end; a second fluid spray component storage tank insaid trailer body having an inlet end and an outlet end; a proportioningpump having an inlet end and an outlet end; said inlet end of saidproportioning pump being in fluid communication with said first andsecond fluid storage tanks; said outlet end of said proportioning pumpbeing in fluid communication with said inlet end of said heat exchanger;said outlet end of said heat exchanger being in fluid communication witha spray gun.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein a hydraulic pump isprovided in said cargo body and wherein said hydraulic pump is inrecirculating fluid communication with said heat exchanger.
 8. Thecombination of claim 6 wherein the lubrication oil of said aircompressor is in recirculating fluid communication with said heatexchanger.
 9. In combination: a vehicle body; a water-cooled engine insaid vehicle body and having an exhaust system; a hydraulic pump in saidvehicle body; an air compressor in said vehicle body; a heat exchanger,having inlet and outlet ends, in said vehicle body; said hydraulic pumpbeing in recirculating fluid connection with said heat exchanger so thatthe hydraulic fluid of said hydraulic pump is in recirculatingcommunication with said heat exchanger; a first fluid spray componentstorage tank in said vehicle body having an inlet and an outlet end; asecond fluid spray component storage tank in said vehicle body having aninlet end and an outlet end; a proportioning pump having an inlet endand an outlet end; said inlet end of said proportioning pump being influid communication with said first and second fluid storage tanks; saidoutlet end of said proportioning pump being in fluid communication withsaid inlet end of said heat exchanger; said outlet end of said heatexchanger being in fluid communication with a spray gun; and the enginecoolant of said engine being in recirculating fluid communication withsaid heat exchanger.
 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said enginein said vehicle body has an exhaust system including a water jacketassociated therewith and wherein the water of said water jacket is inrecirculating communication with said heat exchanger.
 11. Thecombination of claim 9 wherein said engine in said vehicle body has anexhaust system and wherein said exhaust system is in communication withsaid heat exchanger.
 12. The combination of claim 9 wherein saidhydraulic pump is in recirculating fluid communication with said heatexchanger.
 13. The combination of claim 9 wherein the lubricating fluidof said air compressor is in recirculating fluid communication with saidheat exchanger.